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Last Updated on December 2, 2021 by laurenpacek

This Instant Pot Chicken Ropa Vieja is so great for so many reasons. It's super flavorful without being fussy in any way. It's super versatile, too.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Ropa Vieja | A Nerd Cooks

What does "ropa vieja" mean?

Fun fact: "ropa vieja" translates to "old clothes"! The dish gets its name because the shredded meat (usually beef, but in this case, chicken) resembles torn, old clothes. The more you know...

What ingredients go into this dish?

Garlic and onion: I'd argue that these are the basis for most delicious savory dishes.
Bell peppers: You'll want to use two peppers. It's not mandatory, but I used two different colors for visual interest: green and red.
Chicken breasts: Boneless and skinless, please.
Spices: Oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and kosher salt.
Diced tomatoes and tomato paste: You want the diced tomatoes and the deeply tomato-ey flavor that the tomato paste imparts.

How does this dish come together?

Easy peasy!

It comes together really quickly thanks to it being prepared in the Instant Pot. And since the weather is already too hot here in North Carolina, being able to whip this up in a pressure cooker is a double blessing in that you don't have to worry about heating up your kitchen.

Basically, you dump everything into the Instant Pot, cook it, and shred the chicken up with some forks.

Ta da!

Looking for other easy weeknight meals?

Check out my Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken, Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken, and Pressure Cooker Carnitas.

Oh! and don't forget about my Pressure Cooker Green Chicken Chili, either!

Where does this recipe come from?

This recipe is adapted from one found on Budget Bytes.

Instant Pot Chicken Ropa Vieja

Name: Instant Pot Chicken Ropa Vieja
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients: 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 medium yellow onion, sliced; 1 green bell pepper, sliced; 1 red bell pepper, sliced; 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1/2 tbs oregano; 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes; black pepper, to taste; 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes; 3 tbs tomato paste; kosher salt, to taste

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

This Chicken Ropa Vieja is so great for so many reasons. It's super flavorful without being fussy in any way.

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ tbs oregano
⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
black pepper, to taste
15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
3 tbs tomato paste
kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

Mince the garlic and set it aside.
Slice the onion into half-moons and cut the bell peppers into strips. Set aside.
Place the chicken breasts in an electric pressure cooker. Top with the garlic, spices, and sliced onions and peppers.
Add the can of tomatoes (with juices) and tomato paste.
Place the lid on the pressure cooker and lock it. Cook for 25 minutes on high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Shred the chicken with two forks. Salt to taste.
Serve the ropa vieja in a bowl, over rice*, in tacos, etc.

Notes

Notes: This ropa vieja is great served over my Cilantro Lime Rice!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 297mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 49g